Biography of Guy Montfort Count Nola 1244-1288

On 14th May 1264 the army of [his father] Simon de Montfort 6th Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Chester (age 56) including Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford (age 20), Henry Hastings (age 29) and Nicholas Segrave 1st Baron Segrave (age 26) defeated the army of [his uncle] King Henry III of England (age 56) during the Battle of Lewes at Lewes [Map].

King Henry III of England, his son, the future, King Edward I of England (age 24), Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex (age 60), [his uncle] Richard of Cornwall 1st Earl Cornwall (age 55), John "Red" Comyn 1st Lord Baddenoch (age 44), Philip Marmion 5th Baron Marmion (age 30) and John Giffard 1st Baron Giffard Brimpsfield (age 32) were captured. John Warenne 6th Earl of Surrey (age 33), John Balliol (age 56), Robert Bruce 5th Lord Annandale (age 49), Roger Leybourne (age 49) and [his uncle] William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke fought for the King. [his uncle] Guy Lusignan was killed. Fulk IV Fitzwarin (age 44) drowned. Bishop Walter de Cantelupe (age 73) was present and blessed the Montfort army before the battle.

On 13th March 1271 Henry "Almain" Cornwall (age 35) was murdered while attending mass at the Chiesa di San Silvestro, Viterbo by his cousins [his brother] Simon "Younger" Montfort and Guy Montfort Count Nola (age 27) in revenge for the deaths of their father [his father] Simon and older brother [his brother] Henry at the Battle of Evesham.

The murder was carried out in the presence of the Cardinals, who were conducting a papal Election, King Philip III of France (age 25), and King Charles of Sicily (age 43). The Montfort brothers were excommunicated.

Henry "Almain" Cornwall was buried in Hailes Abbey [Map].

The deed is mentioned by Dante Alighieri some forty years after in the Divine Comedy who placed Guy de Montfort in the seventh circle of hell.

New Chronicle by Villani Chapter 39. 13th March 1271. And now we return to our chief subject — how was slain Count Henry, earl of Cornwall (age 35), brother [cousin] of King Edward, in revenge for this, as we said before. The court was greatly disturbed, giving much blame therefor to King Charles, who ought not to have suffered this if he knew thereof, and if he did not know it he ought not to have let it go unavenged. But the said Count Guy (age 27), being provided with a company of men-at-arms on horse and on foot, was not content only with having done the said murder; forasmuch as a cavalier asked him what he had done, and he replied, "J'ai fait ma vangeance," [I took my revenge] and that cavalier said, "Comment? Votre père fut trainé;" [How? Your father was dragged] and immediately he returned to the church, and took Henry by the hair, and dead as he was, he dragged him vilely without the church; and when he had done the said sacrilege and homicide, he departed from Viterbo, and came safe and sound into Maremma to the lands of Count Rosso, his father-in-law. By reason of the death of the said Henry, Edward, his brother, very wrathful and indignant against King Charles, departed from Viterbo, and came with his followers through Tuscany, and abode in Florence, and knighted many citizens, giving them horses and all knightly accoutrements very nobly, and then he came into England, and set the heart of his said brother in a golden cup upon a pillar at the head of London Bridge over the river Thames, to keep the English in mind of the outrage sustained. For the which thing, Edward, after he became king, was never friendly towards King Charles, nor to his folk. After like manner, Philip, king of France, departed with his folk, and came and dwelt many days in Florence; and when he was come into France, he buried the body of the good King Louis, his father with great honour, and had himself crowned with great solemnity at Rheims.

On 23rd April 1287 Guy Montfort Count Nola (age 43) was captured during the Battle of the Counts.